KMS-12-PE Cells

The KMS-12-PE cell line, established from the pleural effusion of the same patient, differs significantly from KMS-12-BM in several aspects. KMS-12-PE cells represent a more terminally differentiated plasma cell stage, as indicated by the absence of CD20 but continued expression of CD38 and PCA-1. A striking feature of KMS-12-PE is its ability to ectopically produce and secrete a salivary type of amylase, both in the patient’s pleural effusion and in culture, making it unique among human myeloma cell lines. This phenomenon is associated with a chromosomal deletion near the region where the amylase gene is located, specifically del(1)(p22→pter), observed in a significant proportion of KMS-12-PE cells. Despite these distinct differences, both KMS-12-PE and KMS-12-BM share the same clonal marker, the translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32), which is common in myeloma cases. However, KMS-12-PE cells show fewer chromosomal abnormalities than KMS-12-BM and tend to be hypodiploid. Like KMS-12-BM, KMS-12-PE does not produce immunoglobulins, either in surface or secretory form, even though the cells have well-developed endoplasmic reticulum. The lack of tumorigenicity in both cell lines, despite their aggressive in vitro growth, and their stable long-term proliferation in serum-free medium make them valuable tools for studying myeloma biology, particularly in the context of non-Ig-producing myeloma.